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Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Volunteer Day of Service

Request for Proposals

On Thursday, September 26, 2013, as part of our BlueAngel Community Outreach Program, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) will host a company-wide Day of Service: Blue across Rhode Island, when hundreds of our employees will volunteer at project sites across the Ocean State. We would like to invite you to submit a project proposal to partner with us this fall in support of our commitment to create a healthier Rhode Island.
Background & Overview

BCBSRI launched the BlueAngel Community Outreach Program (BACOP) in 2001 as a coordinated community outreach and engagement program that demonstrates our commitment to investing in our community with a goal of improving the quality of life of all Rhode Islanders. On September 27, 2012, Blue Cross launched “Blue across Rhode Island,” our first day of service event— with 77 percent of employees participating—to make it the largest single-company volunteer event in Rhode Island history. Results from last year include:
• 3,930 – hours donated through the initiative
• $85,600 – the dollar value of the volunteer time contributed during the initiative
• $60,000 – in charitable contributions made to 12 community organizations that participated in the project
• 2500- "Well Kid Kits" assembled and distributed to children at after-school programs across the state

Proposal & Project Requirements

Completing this proposal form in full is the only acceptable way to submit a proposal for consideration. A thorough review of those proposals will be conducted by our Blue across Rhode Island steering committee to determine the agencies/projects that can provide a meaningful and coordinated volunteer experience for our BlueAngels during Blue across Rhode Island. We aim to partner with agencies representing a diverse array of social and community services and from various locations across our state. Agencies must have a clear vision and scope for the proposed project, appropriate staff and resources to oversee the project, and must be able to accommodate a minimum of 30 volunteers. BlueAngel employee volunteers will be leaving BCBSRI at approximately 9:00 a.m. to travel to project sites. Group transportation will be provided. Employees will return to BCBSRI's corporate headquarters by approximately 4:30 p.m. Projects must run a minimum of four hours. Special consideration will be given to those projects that can accommodate 50 or more volunteers.

To facilitate the project, all selected agencies will be provided with a grant of $5,000, which can be used for the project (for the purchase of supplies, materials, etc.) with any remaining dollars considered a donation to the agency. As well, each site will be assigned two BCBSRI project captains who will work with you to ensure a successful project outcome. In addition to the volunteer time and financial reward, project sites will also benefit from earned media generated for the initiative.

It is expected that key agency staff will be available to work with BCBSRI staff for several weeks in advance of the project. Attendance at 2-4 meetings at BCBSRI will also be expected.

Potential Blue across Rhode Island volunteer projects specifically, and/or the agency's mission, must align with BCBSRI’s Community Investment areas of focus. Our key priorities are healthcare access, healthcare quality, and community health - with a particular emphasis on the uninsured or underserved. Projects must demonstrate an impact on health of people in Rhode Island.

Examples of Blue across Rhode Island projects might include:
• Collecting, organizing, distributing food at food pantries
• Landscaping and other outdoor beautification efforts
• Staffing a health fair or other educational/outreach opportunity
• Sorting, organizing, coding, filing or other clerical duties
• Planting or harvesting crops at community gardens
• Painting and fixing up agency facilities, camps and community centers
• Preparing & serving meals at shelters and meal sites
• Inspecting and sorting donated clothing and other items
Application Process

If you would like to be considered as a Blue across Rhode Island site this year, please complete the following proposal by May 22, 2013, providing a complete and thorough overview of the proposed project for consideration. Blue across Rhode Island partners will be informed of their selection by late June. All applicants must be registered 501(c)3 organizations.

For questions and/or to discuss your project ideas, please connect with Serve Rhode Island who is providing technical assistance and some project support. Please direct question to Amanda Ball at aball@serverhodeisland.org.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - GENERAL INFORMATION
1.Organization Name:(Required.)
2.Primary Contact Name:(Required.)
3.Title:(Required.)
4.Email Address:(Required.)
5.Phone:(Required.)
6.Address:(Required.)
7.City/Town, Zip code(Required.)
8.Tax ID/EIN Number:(Required.)
9.Annual Budget:(Required.)
10.Number of Employees(Required.)
11.Regions Served by Your Organization:(Required.)
12.Target Population(s):(Required.)
13.Organization's Mission Statement:(Required.)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL - WORKSCOPE & IMPACT

PLEASE LIMIT YOUR RESPONSES TO BRIEF AND CONCISE ANSWERS.
DATE: Thursday, September 26, 2013
TIME: 9:00 a.m. (leave BCBSRI) and 4:30 p.m. (return to BCBSRI)
Note:Volunteers will be provided meals and transportation by BCBSRI.
14.Briefly describe your proposed service project; listing the full workscope and tasks to be performed and how many people per task will be required. Please provide sufficient information so the Committee can understand the project you are proposing and how you will utilize BlueAngel employee volunteers. Be advised that agencies need to develop a workplan to keep volunteers engaged for a minimum of four hours:(Required.)
15.Please comment on how this project impacts health and aligns with one or more of BCBSRI's areas of focus: healthcare access, healthcare quality and community health.(Required.)
16.How many volunteers will it take to complete this project? (Note: minimum is 30 volunteers working no less than four hours)(Required.)
17.What special skills will be required by the volunteers (if any)?(Required.)
18.Where will the proposed project take place? Please provide the name and address of the proposed project site and identify if this Is your agency headquarters, satellite office, community site, etc. Can you provide photos of this site so we can better understand the project?(Required.)
19.Is any prep work required before the actual project can be completed? If so, who at your organization will be responsible for this prep work?(Required.)
20.What needs of your organization will this project address? How will this completed project effect the people you serve?(Required.)
21.What do you anticipate would be the barriers / challenges to completing this project if selected?(Required.)
22.Will your community stakeholders be informed of and engaged in this service project? If yes, how and in what way?(Required.)
23.What volunteer training and oversight/supervision will be needed to execute this service project? Describe your plan for providing volunteers with training, safety assurance and oversight.(Required.)
24.What is your inclement weather plan or contingency plan? If you are proposing an outdoor project, do you have an indoor back-up project or how will you adapt your outdoor project plan so that it can be held in bad weather? (only proposals that have a clear and predefined inclement weather plan will be considered)(Required.)
25.Have you previously worked with volunteer groups of this size?(Required.)
26.If so, please describe some of those project(s), and please provide references. If not, please tell us why you’re ready to take on a project of this size now?(Required.)
27.What supplies, materials, tools are required to complete this project? Do you have them or how and where will you obtain them? What do you anticipate the approximate costs of the needed supplies to be?(Required.)
28.Please provide the names and contact info for the members of your staff who will be responsible for coordinating and planning the project in advance and overseeing the project day of?(Required.)
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